FE Governance

Responsibilities

Directors' Responsibilities for Health and Safety - An article by AoC Health and Safety Adviser, Stephen Green
       
In terms of managing corporate risk a key risk is the health and safety of staff, students and visitors. Effective management of the risk will:

• maximise well being and productivity
• stop people being killed or injured through work activity
• improve the college's reputation
• avoid damaging effects on staff or student recruitment
• encourage better relationships with contractors
• minimise the likelihood of prosecution.

The Health and Safety Executive guidance document (INDG 343) relates to the health and safety responsibilities of directors. The guidance applies to members of college boards of governors. The guidance sets out the roles and responsibilities of the board and its members in respect of health and safety risks arising from the organisation's activities. It is important that directors, in carrying out their responsibilities, set out their expectations of senior managers with health and safety responsibilities and the arrangements for keeping the board informed and advised of all relevant matters concerning performance.

Specific Action Points

1. The board needs to accept formally and publicly its collective role in providing health and safety leadership in its organisation. This means having a statement of your health and safety policy and arrangements that has derived out of meaningful consultation with staff and that is reviewed as situations change. It must also be brought to the attention of your staff. Each member of the board needs to accept their individual role in providing health and safety leadership for their organisation. This means that there must not be any mismatch between your attitudes, behaviour or decisions and the college's health and safety policy.

2. The board needs to ensure that all board decisions reflect its health and safety intentions, as articulated in the health and safety policy statement. It is important for boards to remember that, although health and safety functions can (and should) be delegated, legal responsibility for health and safety rests with the employer.

3. The board needs to recognise its role in engaging the active participation of workers in improving health and safety. This means consultation with all staff and with unions where appropriate. The best form of participation is a partnership for prevention where staff and their representatives are actively involved in identifying and tackling problems and not just consulted on decisions taken.

4. The board needs to ensure that it is kept informed of and alert to, relevant health and safety risk management issues. You need to be sure that the board's health and safety responsibilities are properly discharged. The board will need to:

• review your health and safety performance regularly (at least annually)
• ensure that your health and safety policy statement reflects current board priorities. The statement should be considered at the same time as your
  review of your health and safety performance, or when circumstances (for example your management structures) change
• ensure that your management systems provide for effective monitoring and reporting of your organisation's health and safety performance  ]
• be kept informed about any significant health and safety failures, and of the outcome of the investigations into their causes
• ensure that you address the health and safety implications of all your decisions; and ensure that health and safety risk management systems are in place and remain effective. Periodic audits can provide information on their operation and effectiveness.

The Health and Safety Commission recommends that boards appoint one of their number to be the 'health and safety director'. By appointing a 'health and safety governor' you will have a board member who can ensure that these health and safety risk management issues are properly addressed, both by your board and more widely in your organisation.

The Health and Safety Governor should:

• ensure that health and safety performance is reviewed at least annually
• ensure that your health and safety policy statement reflects current board priorities
• ensure that the college MIS provide for effective monitoring and reporting of the college's health and safety performance.

The chairman and principal have a critical role to play in ensuring risks are properly managed and that the health and safety director has the necessary competence, resources and support of other board members to carry out their functions. Indeed, some colleges have nominated their principal as the health and safety 'champion'. As long as there is clarity about the health and safety responsibilities and functions, and the issues are properly addressed by the board, this is acceptable.

The health and safety responsibilities of all board members should be clearly articulated in your college's statement of health and safety policy and arrangements. It is important that the role of the health and safety director should not detract either from the responsibilities of other directors for specific areas of health and safety risk management or from the health and safety responsibilities of the board as a whole.

Copies of 'Directors' Responsibilities for Health and Safety' INDG 343 ISBN 0717620808 are available free for single copies or £5 for a pack of 10 from HSE Books 01787 881165 or it may be downloaded from http://www.hse.gov.uk/.